All of Me
by Darkflowerofheaven
Summary: Nathaniel had never been good at anything musical, he could not play an instrument so he could not summon a certain type of creature, but he wanted to have the ability to. He takes up something new, and recieves help from a certain, bored, Djinni. BartxNat. Song fic, ish.


**:Hi everyone! So, I needed a little break and some practice, and well. I don't write for this fandom really, but it's so small and I love this pairing a lot so I thought it would be nice to contribute. This is kind of like a song fic? But I've never written one, but it's dorky and cute. I have read the entire series, but It's been a while and I'm not good at first person so forgive me. This is kind of a weird setting, it's supposedly set in the time frame between The Golems Eye and Ptolemy's Gate, but it has a modern twist. It's weird. Anyway, please enjoy, I don't own the song and or The Bartimaeus Trilogy:**

Nathaniel had always been a bit wet behind the ears...actually even _that_ didn't explain how dimwitted he was at times. (Although, he could simply be in odd shape because of that rat's nest on his head, but anyway). He would always be studying, like all magicians, and most of the time it didn't do any of them a damn bit of good. At this time he was sitting in a plush, dirt colored kind of chair with a book in his lap. I was walking around his chair, changing my shape whenever I passed by his line of sight. It was fun for a while (Mainly due to the fact I knew this annoyed him to no end, most magicians hated little distractions such as this), but I grew bored at the routine.

Even so. There wasn't really much to do.

I stopped my pacing, my guise now in the form of a small black cat. Nat had began to grumble under his breath, in a rather rhythmic sort of pattern. Now, I don't remember most things the kid says, he often goes on and on about some kind of nonsense I could care less about, but I do recall when he had mentioned that he had no way of possibly summoning any kind of being that required something _musical_ (Lamina and the like, interesting beings that's for sure.). The reason why he couldn't?

Simple.

He had no talent.

"Is that a song I hear?" A sly grin stretching upon the cat's face. Nathaniel had turned to look at it, regarding it briefly before mumbling a response. I, with my excellent hearing, knew what he said. But I felt the strong desire to mess with him, as I did most days where my limit of being bored had been reached.

"I'm sorry, what was that, Natty boy?"

"I said that it was." He snapped, rolling his eyes. My, my what a mood! Although it didn't truly differ from how he usually acted. I quickly changed into my guise of that girl we had ran into long ago. (Of course, I made her look a tad bit more...mature.)

I let out a sigh, placing a maidenly hand to my cheek. "Dear me, it seems as if you _are_ trying to learn how to summon something new!" I noticed him moving his eyes to me, I pouted in response. "Could it be that you are trying to _replace_ me?"

Don't get me wrong here. I would have _loved_ to be released, I had been here for far too long and my essence was beginning to hurt more than it should. Of course, I shouldn't get my hopes up because he simply glared more at me and slammed the book he was reading closed.

He rose from his chair, beginning to gently hum the tune to himself some more. (Not good of course, for some reason he was trying to sing some kind of lowish key. He sounded like a dying animal...)

The girl watched him, placing herself in the chair he had left and crossing her legs. She placed her chin in the center of her palm, stifling a chuckle when Nathaniel groaned, thinking he had thought he hit a wrong note.

"What _exactly_ are you trying to do?" I asked, I didn't care really, but I was curious on what was getting on his nerves.

He turned to me, thinking carefully for a moment before finally answering my question; "I feel uneasy knowing that I cannot summon a Lamina."

Really? That was it?

"And what do _you_ ," I stood up, stretching my body and making it so my black shirt revealed a small bit of skin. "need with a Lamina?"

He scrunched his nose up. "I have no _need_ for a Lamina." He spoke rather stiffly, annoyingly so. "I just believe I should have the ability to command one, should the day ever rise."

"Well, have you tried an instrument?" (There was a fairly high possibility that he had, but still.)

"I don't want to talk about it."

"I see..." I chuckled. "Well, you're going to get absolutely nowhere with _that_ kind of voice." He turned to glare at me, to anyone else that glare could have scared them out of their skin. For me? He just looked like a child who had dropped their ice cream.

"What does _that_ mean?" He questioned, narrowing his eyes.

I placed my hands behind my back like an innocent toddler and moved slowly toward him; "Well, for _one_ thing..." I rose a finger. "Your voice does not match that _low_ tone you're going for, and you cannot follow any kind of rhythm from what _I_ can hear."

Nathaniel had become a bright shade of red at this point, obviously becoming both annoyed and angered. Oh well, nothing really new.

"Perhaps I could assist you?" I suggested. (I usually wouldn't help the brat, I was just bored out of my mind and I wanted to distract myself with something other than changing every five seconds.)

I could tell he was uneasy about this, but he sighed and simply nodded.

Now _that_ was unexpected.

Might as well do a decent job at least...

"Can you remember the tune you were _attempting_ to recreate?" I crossed my arms, raising a slim eyebrow at him. To this he responded by humming a horrid rhythm that made me want to throw myself into the Thames.

"No. No." I shook my head, placing my hands on my ears to emphasize how terrible it was. He became angry again, to be expected but hey, I wasn't going to be a _nice_ teacher.

"Here..." I grumbled, reaching into the far depths of my memory (To which I held plenty of things I didn't even _want_ to remember) and grasping hold of a song I had heard when passing by one of the local shops. Bit odd by the lyrics, but it would have to do.

I reached to a nearby table, taking a piece of paper and a writing utensil. (Might I say that at this point Nathaniel had tried to stop me from grabbing anything, but once he saw what I was doing he had ceased his attempt and allowed me to finish my work).

"There." I voiced, copying the words to another sheet before I handed the paper over to him. "We're going to sing together." He looked disgusted by the idea. (I had to agree with him for once).

" _Together_?" He gasped out, staring down at the words, his face had become a shade of pink. That was different... "But these words are so..."

I shrugged, so they were a little mushy and gross, nothing he couldn't handle being a _big, bad_ magician. "Do you want my help or not?"

"I never _asked_ for it."

"However, you never refused."

He mumbled, staring down at the paper obediently. Good boy.

"Now." I cleared my throat. "The song is very repetitive, so just repeat my rhythm or _attempt_ to." He glowered down at the words. "I will be the male part, you will be the female."

Nathaniel let out a small smirk at this. "Oh? But _you_ are the girl, at the moment."

Ah.

Forgot about that.

I quickly changed into my guise of Ptolemy, making him a tad taller than Natty boy just to mess with him. Needless to say, it always worked.

"Okay, since you're the girl you have to sing a little higher than usual."

"So, falsetto?"

"How do you even _know_ that word?"

"I had an...interesting teacher."

"I see, but no." I let a small grin appear on my face. "Just sing a little higher than my notes." I cleared my throat, beginning to let the words flow out of me;

" _What would I do without your smart mouth, drawing me in and kicking me out? Got my head spinning, no kidding. I can't pin you down_." I'll admit it, that was a _bit_ embarrassing and made my face adopt a small shade of velvet I wasn't used to. I looked to my master, his face also sharing my color.

I quickly gestured for him to begin.

However, when he began, I did not expect to hear what I did.

" _What's going on in that beautiful mind? I'm on your magical mystery ride, and I'm so dizzy, don't know what hit me, but I'll be alright_." He had closed his eyes, his voice moving slowly with the rhythm I had done previously. His cheeks became a bit darker, but I paid them no mind as I listened.

"Not bad." I breathed out, (Djinni don't have or require lungs, it's a way of talking, don't be dumb.) his eyes opening slowly at my voice. I was shocked to say the least, the fact that he could sing _decently_ well was surprisingly enough, but what perplexed me the most was that he hit the notes of a high tenor. Perhaps he wasn't as...No, no. He was still a disgusting magician, nothing talented about him other than the fact he can draw lines and circles and have the ability to read.

I noticed it was my turn once again, so I took a breath (Just because I could do so) and began once more; " _My head's underwater, but I'm breathing fine. You're crazy and I'm outta my mind_."

I was just about to sing the next part, but I read them quickly before doing so and felt my essence tighten in a fashion I wasn't particularly comfortable with. This song was strange enough as it is.

"Go on." Nathaniel spoke. I looked to him as if he were mad (which he was, insanely so.) but he just stared at me, waiting for me to sing the next set of lines. So, he wants me to say this embarrassing crud, does he? Alright, I'll make him _just_ as uncomfortable as I was.

" _'Cause all of me, loves all of you..._ " I took a step toward him, having inner satisfaction at seeing him retreat briefly before I grabbed hold of his forearm, keeping him still. " _Love your curves and all your edges, all your perfect imperfections_..." I made a show of moving my hand gently down his arm, placing my lips to his ear. " _Give your all to me, I'll give my all to you._ " I felt him shiver at this, I couldn't help admitting this. I was enjoying myself. " _You're my end and my beginning._ " I took a step back, staring down at him into his ice colored eyes. " _Even when I lose, I'm winning..._ "

I opened my mouth to sing the next verse, only to be cut off immediately; " _Cause I give you all of me_..." Nat was staring right back up at me, his eyes serious. " _And you give me all of you_..."

It was my turn to make a small retreat, removing my hand from him. This was becoming oddly...what's the word? Intimate! That's it! And I didn't want to become like that with a magician. (There have been the previous masters who have taken advantage of our abilities to change form into whatever we choose. It wasn't a _terrible_ job, however it always disgusted me to find out the kinks of some magicians. One of them wanted to be choked while doing so, you could only imagine how I responded and how his current condition was.)

I glanced down at the paper, forcing myself to steady myself. This was completely foolish, who am I to get a little, dare I say, flustered about some words to a song? I forced a small glance at Nathaniel, who hadn't taken a step toward me when I had back away. He was just looking at me. I redirected my eyes to the paper

My turn again.

" _How many times do I have to tell you; Even when you're crying you're beautiful too?_ " I felt my mouth go a bit dry, that wasn't normal. I didn't require saliva. " _The world is beating you down, I'm around through every mood_." Nathaniel didn't miss a beat, he followed up immediately.

" _You're my downfall, you're my muse. My worst distraction, my rhythm and blues_." He smiled a little at those lyrics, probably something relating to the worst distraction line. I supposed I did bother him plenty, but I had all the reason to. I had to kick myself when I thought this. The song didn't mean anything about _us_ , we weren't some disgusting, lovey dovey couple that you see sucking face in the rain. " _I can't stop singing, this ringing in my head for you_."

Again, for the second time, he took my thunder and kept singing. It was my turn wasn't it?

" _My head's underwater, but I'm breathing fine_." He quickly directed his gaze to me, my face reacting as he sang the next phrase. " _You're crazy and I'm out of my mind_." (He was right about the second part, he was insane. I mentioned this earlier, did I not?)

This next part wasn't particularly planned, dare I say, it just happened. He wanted to go on, but I knew there wasn't much of the song left and him being a magician, I could only assume he wanted to show off. There was no possible way he was going to attempt to, as they say, one _up_ me.

" _Cause all of me, loves all of you_." We both looked at each other, our eyes meeting as we sung. I didn't know what he was thinking, but I believe we were both centered on the feeling of not wanting to be beaten. " _Love your curves and all your edges, all your perfect imperfections_." He took a step toward me, so I took a step as well. He narrowed his eyes as he began once more, with me following him pace of words; " _Give your all to me, I'll give my all to you_." I reflected his expression. " _You're my end and my beginning, even when I lose, I'm winning_."

Him and I were fairly close now, our bodies not that far apart as we gazed at each other. For some reason he didn't back down really, sad that he thought he could win this small little competition we were having at this last second.

" _Cause I give you all of me._ " We slowed down in rhythm. (This blind sided poor Nat for a moment, but he fell back in steadily with the speed.) " _And you give me all of you_..."

I'll be honest here. I didn't expect this next part.

"You're pretty good." Nathaniel complimented. I backed up at the comment, was he taunting me?  
"What?"

"I said," He smiled cheekily. "You're pretty good."

My face became that warm sensation I had felt earlier, lovely. I moved my eyes away from him.

"Yes, well." I cleared my throat, trying to phrase my next set of words correctly; "You were better than before." I snuck a quick glance in his direction, he looked proud of himself.

He walked to his desk, going behind it to place the paper in one of his drawers. I didn't make a move to do anything with my piece of paper, so I wadded it up and tossed it expertly into a trash bin.

I watched as he moved to a coat hanger, grabbing his long trench coat and placing it over his shoulders. Where was _he_ going?

"I'm going to go acquire something to eat." He answered my internal question. I wrinkled my nose at this, it was disgusting how humans had to eat. (I thought it would be bothersome, although I suppose even my kind of being would not be very pretty while partaking in a meal.) He tossed a look my way.

"Accompany me." I was taken back by this a bit. It wasn't abnormal that he ordered me to follow him. However, it was the way he was staring at me. His eyes were softer and there was the lightest bit of pink sprinkled on his cheeks.

I nodded mutely in response, standing up straight to turn into a form of animal to fall behind him.

" _That_ form will do." I stopped my process, my essence just about to take the appearance of a cat. I cocked my head to the left a bit, my eyes watching him as he waited on me to walk to him.

"Alright." I strode over to him, following him as he allowed me to walk beside him. I stole a look at him as we moved, he looked pleased with himself and had the smallest grin on his face...

Perhaps he wasn't _that_ horrid.

 **:I noticed that I neglected to call him John Mandrake...Oh well! Anyway, hope anyone who still exists in this fandom had fun reading that! The song is All of Me By John Legend, by the way. Forgot to mention that. But anyway, please review if you can! It'd be nice to know if anyone is still out there who reads this series.)**


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